Feeder for printing-presses.



No. 648,066. Patented Apr.'24, I900.

J. S. BULLUCK.

FEEDER FUR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Shuets$haet I.

Patented Apr. 24, I900. J. S. BULLUCK.

FEEDER FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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(No Model.)

N0. 648,066. Patented Apr 24, I900. .1. s. BULLUCK.

FEEDER FUR PRINTING PBESSES.

4 Sheets$haef 3.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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1H: Norms PETERS cu. FHQTo-uma. WASHINOY No. 648,066. 7 Patented Apr.24, I900 J. S. BULLUCK.

FEEDER FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1899.) I (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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NITED STATES PATENT mes.

JOHN S. BULLUOK, OF RAOINE, IVISCONSIN, ASSIGNOF OF ONE-HALF TO J. M.FALVEY, OF SAME PLACE.

FEEDER FOR PRlNTlNG-PRES SES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,066, dated April24, 1900.

Application filed March 29, 1899. Serial No. 710,861. (No model.)

To all whom, it may conceive:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. BULLUCK, a,

citizen of the United States, residing at Racine, in the county ofRacine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Feeders for Printing- Presses, of which the followingi'safull, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic feeders for printing-presses, and moreparticularly to feeders for fiat-platen presses as contradistinguishedfrom cylinder-presses, yet it might be used for depositing a singlesheet at a time on the feed-board of the latter form within reach of thegrippers.

My invention also relates to a sheet-delivery mechanism combined andoperating with the feeding mechanism and being especially designed fordelivering or removing from the platen the freshly-printed sheet to asuitable piling-table.

My invention has for its primary object to provide a simple andefficient pneumatic feeder especially adapted for fiat platen presses. I

Another object of my invention is to provide improved and simple meansfor removing or delivering the freshly-printed sheet directly from theplaten.

A further object-of my invention is to so combine and operate the feederand delivery that the sheet being fed and the one being delivered maypass each other in transit and thus save time in effecting the completeoperation.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofnovelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts bywhich the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearingare attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my combined'feederand delivery, showingit in connection with apart of aplatenprintPng-press. Fig. 2 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of afriction-hold hereinafter described, the same being shown in section. isa plan view of the apparatus as Fig. 3

shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but looking fromthe opposite side of the machine and showing the sheet-carrier in theact of depositing a sheet in full lines and in dotted lines at anintermediate point of its movement. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view ofthe mechanism for tripping the sheet-delivery device hereinafterexplained. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view, partly broken away, of thesheet-delivery. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewthereof. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is across-section of the feed-board. Fig. 9 is a plan view thereof and of apart of the supporting-frame, showing the longitudinal and transverse adj usting-screws. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional viewof the pneumatic sucker of the sheet-feeder; and Fig. 11 is a transversesectional view of the hollow shaft and the inlet-valve guarding theinlet-aperture thereof for admitting air to the sucker of the feeder, aswill be hereinafter ex plained.

In illustrating my invention I have shown it in connection with a formof printing-press having a flat oscillating platen as an example of theform to which it is best adapted.

1 represents the platen, and 2 the back legs. The platen in this form ofpress when at the extremity of its outward movement assumes the positionat a wide angle to the back legs or the chase, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1; but the invention is applicable to any other form ofplaten-press.

3 represents a shaft journaled in the upper ends of standards 4 5, whichare mounted upon a frame 6, supported on any suitable part of thepress-such, for instance, as the usual feed-board, (not shown,)or, ifdesired, upon any special support,and mounted loosely upon this shaft 3is a pair of arms 7 8, whose upper or outer ends are connected togetherby a cross-shaft 9. The latter shaft is hollow at least from one end tothepoint where the pneumatic sucker 10 for picking up and holding thesheet is situated. The connection between the sucker 10 and the shaft 9is established by means of a box 11, into which the ends of the sectionsof the shaft 9 are hermetically secured, while the sucker 10 is in theform of a crank, as better shown in Fig. 10, the stem 12 of which passesupwardly through the box 11 and is provided with an air-port 13 in oneside within the box, and its upper extremity is screw-threaded above thebox and has secured thereon a thumb-n ut 14,by means of which a shoulder15 under the box 11 may be crowded upwardly toward the box, forcing the,washer and gasket 16 firmly against the latter and compressing the samearound the stem of the sucker, while a gasket 17 is similarly compressedaround the stem where it emerges from the upper side of the box. By thusattaching and constructing the sucker it will be seen that I am enabledto adjust it with relation to the surface of the sheet 18, and therebycause it to contact with either the margin or a more central point onthe surface of the sheet, as the nature of the work may require.

Mounted upon the shaft 9, preferably on each side of the sucker 10, is astop 19, which for convenience and efficiency is in the form of a wheelwith an elastic tire 20 and which rests upon the surface of the pile'ofsheets 18 and prevents the surface or face of the sucker 10 from comingdirectly in contact with the sheet as it rests over the pile, thuscompelling the sheet to float upwardly under the in fiuence of thesuction, and thereby admit air between it and the next sheet below andavoid picking up more than one sheet at a time. As shown in Fig. l, thepoint of contact between the pile and the stops or wheels 19 and thatover which the face of the sucker 1O lies is considerably removed withreference to the height of the sheet, so that while the stops 19 may beholding the sheet down at its lower edge the upper edge of the sheetwill be free to rise against the sucker. These stops 19 are adjustableby means of adjusting-collars 21, so as to adapt themselves to sheets ofvarious widths.

The outer extremity of the shaft 9 at one end is connected in anysuitable manner to the interior of the arm 8, which is also hollow, theconnection being effected, as shown in the drawings, by a section oftubing 22, and the hollow arm 8 is connected by tube 23 to the outer endof the shaft 3, which is also hollow, and the latter is connected at itsopposite end by tube 24 to any suitable pump or suction device. (Notshown.)

The shaft 3 is so mounted that the arms 7 and 8 will oscillate orvibrate back and forth between the feed-board 25, which supports thepile of sheets 18, and the platen 1, thus at one time reaching over thefeed-board to pick up a sheet and at another extending over the platen,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 4, todeposit it in position to be printed. Thus it will be seen that as thearms 7 8 are caused to oscillate back and forth while suction isproduced in the shaft 3 the sheets will be lifted by the sucker 10 fromthe feed-board 25 and will be carried aloof and then downwardly over anddeposited upon the platen, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l and infull lines in Fig. 4. In order, however, that the proper position of thesheet may be maintained throughout its transit, I provide means forholding the sucker against rotation with the balance of the oscillatingsheet-carrier thus constituted, so that while the arms 7 8 may make arelative rotary movement around the shaft 9 the latter will maintain itsposition with reference to the horizontal. This may be best accomplishedby providing one end of the shaft 9 with a crank 26, to which isconnected one end of a rod 27, whose other end is fixed at a pointeccentric to the center of oscillation of the arms 7 8, or, in otherwords, eccentric to the shaft 3, so that as the arms 7 8 rotate aroundtheir center of oscillation, carrying the sucker l0 upwardly and thendownwardly with them, the rotation of the shaft 9 will be continuallyresisted by the crank 26 and rod 27. The lower end of the rod 27 may bepivoted on a pin 28, secured in a standard 29 and having sleeved thereona coiled spring 30, against which bears an ad j usting-nut 31forregulating the friction of the rod 27 against a friction-face 32,formed on the standard 29, a lock-nut 33 being provided for holding thenut 31 from unscrewing. By means of this friction-hold for retarding theoscillation of the rod 27 it will be seen that when the arms 7 8 reachtheir perpendicular position,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, thetendency of the rod 27 to lag behind will pull the crank 26 backwardlyover the dead-center, and thereby prevent the pull of the rod 27 againstthe crank 26 from turning the sucker 1O upwardly as the arms 7 8 descendtoward the platen. In making the return movement from the position shownin Fig. 5 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 the retardingaction of the friction-hold 3O 31 will have a similar effect in pushingthe crank 26 past the dead center or over onto the side next the press,so that the crank 26 will at all times be in substantially an uprightposition.

When the arms 7 8 have descended sufficiently close to the surface ofthe platen to make it safe to release the sheet 18 from the sucker, acrank-arm 3i, secured to and controlling an air-admission valve 35,guarding-a port 36in the shaft 3, comes in contact with a trip-lug 37,secured to the frame of the machine,and thus aclmitsair to the shaft 3and de- IIO stroys the suction against the sheet, which is therebyallowed to drop onto the platen.

WVhen the arms 7 8 make a return movement, the valve 35 is automaticallyclosed by a spring 33.

whichIengages with a pin 42 on the arm 8. This pinion is shown completeor circular, but as a matter of fact only a segment thereof, the lowerhalf on which the lug 41 is not situated, is utilized in the rotation ofthe shaft 3. On the other end of the shaft 3 is secured a disk 43,havinga similar lug 44, engaging with a pin on the arm 7. The motion of theshaft 3, derived from the pinion 40 and rackbar 39,is communicated tothe arms 7 8 through the intermediary of an elastic or yielding medium,such as two coil-springs 46, coiled one on each end of the shaft andeach being secured by lug 47 at one end to the shaft and at its otherend by lug 48 to the hubs of the arms 78, respectively, which, as beforeexplained, are loose on the shaft. The springs 46 are so Wound as toproduce a normal tendency to force the lugs 41 44 upwardly against theunder sides of the pins 42 45, so that if need be the lugs 41 44 mayturn downwardly away from the pins should the shaft 3 continue to rotateafter the stop-wheels 19 come to rest on the pile of paper. Thisyielding action is important, because it is readily seen that since theheight of the pile is continually varying, requiring a greater movementor throw of the arms 7 8 at one time than at another,while thereciprocating movement of the rack-bar 39 and the consequent rotarymovement of the shaft 3 remain the same at all times, the pinion 40 mustbe capable of carrying the sucker 1O downwardly to the surface of apileofthe minimum height, while at the same time it must be capable ofcontinuing its rotation after the sucker 10 has come to rest on a pileof the maximum height. Therefore when the stop-wheels 19 come against ahigh pile the lugs 41 44 turn downwardly away from their pins 42 45,while the stop-wheels are held in firm contact with the surface of thepile by the motion of the shaft 3, communicated to the arms 7 8 throughthe intermediary of the springs 46, and they are held down in firmcontact until the lugs 41 44 again rise into engagement with theirrespective pins on the arms 7 8.

In order that the rack-bar 39 may maintain its engagement with thepinion 40 and at the same time follow the irregular motion of the platen1, it is supported by a grooved roller 49 on the end of an arm 50, whichis in turn supported by spring 51, coiled around a stem 52, projectingdownwardly from the arm 50 and entering a standard 53, which constitutesan abutment for the lower end of the spring.

The arms 7 8 are counterbalanced by means of weights 54, secured to theunder sides of their hubs, and their movement as they near the surfaceof the pile is also retarded by springs 55, which prevent thestop-wheels 19 from coming into too violent engagement with the paper,and they also serve to relieve the shock when the sheet-carrier comes torest on the platen, the upper ends of the springs being attached to thelower sides of the weights 54 at a point diametrically opposite the arms7 8, so as to resist the movement of the arms from both sides of theperpendicular.

The sheets 18 are supported upon any suitable feed-board, such as theboard 25 already referred to, whose lower or forward edge may beprovided with upwardly-extending arms 56, against which the paper ispiled, and these arms may be curved concentrically with the aredescribed by the arms 7 8, so as to avoid colliding with the edge of thesheet as it rises with the sucker 10. It is important that this board 25be adjustable both as to its inclination and its position with referenceto the arms 7 8both longitudinally and transversely. To this end I pivotthe. board upon a longitudinal axis and make its pivotal supportsadjustable transversely of the arms 7 8.

57 represents slides which are mounted upon a member 58 of the frame,which is supported by standards 59, rising from the baseframe 6, andjournaled in suitable bearings 60 on the member 58 is a shaft 61, whichis screw-threaded, but held against longitudinal movement by stop-pins62, and this shaft passes through a nut 63, rising from each of theslides 57, and pivoted to eaclrof the nuts 63 is an arm 64, carrying orhaving formed thereon a nut 65, through which passes a threaded shaft66, arranged under and transversely of the board 25, the shaft 66 beingsupported in suitable hangers 67 68, secured to the board 25. -The upperend of each of the shafts 66 is provided with a turning-head 69, whilethe lower end is provided with a nut 70 for holdingthe shaft againstendwise movement. Thus it will be seen that'by rotating the shaft 61,whichmay be provided at one end with a crank 71 for the purpose, theboard 25 may be shifted from side to side without altering itsinclination, or by rotating the shafts 66 the board may be shifted fromfront to rearthat is, upwardly or downwardly in its own plane-withoutchanging its inclination.

In order that the inclination of the board may be readily alteredwithout otherwise changing its position, I support the rear or upperside thereof by means of an arm or lever 7 2, upon the upper end ofwhich the board loosely rests. This lever is pivoted in a standard 73,which is secured to a rearwardly-projecting portion 58 of the framemember 58 by means of a bracket 74. The lower end of the lever 72 haspivotally secured to it a nut 75, through which passes an adjListing-screw 76, which also passes through the standard 73 and whosehead takes a bearing against the rear side thereof. Thus by rotating thescrew 76 the upper end of the lever 72 may be raised or lowered and theinclination of the board 25 accordingly varied.

77 is an ordinary gage-plate secured to the face of the board 25.

Having explained the means for depositing a single sheet at a time onthe platen of the press with readiness to be printed, I will nowdescribe the delivery or means for picking the sheet from the platen andconveying it to the piling-table, while the feeder, having conveyed asheet to the platen, is about to deposit the same thereon.

Arranged under-the shaft 3 and projecting forwardly and downwardly asufficient distance to .be slightly over the upper edge of the platenwhen the latter is at the extremity of its upward and outward movementis a pair of guide-rods 78, constituting a way upon which the sucker '79of the sheet-delivery slides. These guide-rods 78 are preferablysupported at their rear ends only by means of a bracket 80, whichprojects downwardly from the portion 58 of the framemember 58, the upperends of the rods '78 being screwthreaded and firmly bound to the bracket80 by means of nuts 81. The sucker 79, which is best shown in Figs. 6and 7, consists of a mouth portion formed on the lower side of theforward end of a tube 82, which is located between the rods 78 and ispivotally supported on a sliding carriage 83, having sleeves 84,embracing and sliding on the rods '78, respectively. The lower side ofthe carriage 83 is provided with depending ears 85,through which passesa cross-tube 86, which communicates through neck 87 with the interior ofthe tube 82. This tube 86, being closed at one end and open at theother, constitutes at once a pivot for the tube 82 and a means ofconnection with a flexible tube 88, through which the air is exhaustedfrom the tube 82 and the sucker 79 rendered effective. The end of thecross-tube 86 opposite that to which the tube 88 is secured may beclosed by screw 89, which also serves to hold the tube 86 in place. Thevupper side of the carriage 83 is provided with a pivot-pin 90, uponwhich is pivoted a stud 91, having its edges grooved and receiving thetwo members of a bifurcated arm 92, which is pivoted at 93 to the underside of a member 94. of the frame. The under side of the arm 92 is alsoprovided with an eye or bracket 95, through which slides a pipe 96,having one end coupled to the pipe 86 by the flexible tube 88, abovereferred to, and its other end attached to any suitable tube 97, leadingoff to an exhauster. (Not shown.) By this means it will be seen that asthe arm 92 oscillatesback and forth, causing the carriage 83 toreciprocate on its ways 78, the tube 96 will be carried back and forthwith it and the connection with the exhauster continually maintained.The arm 92 is given its return movement or movement awayfrom the platenby means acting independently of the power which actuates thesheet-carrier, preferably by means of an ordinary coilspring 99, whoserear end is attached to a rearwardly-extending bracket 100, secured tothe frame member 58, while its forward end is hooked to the arm 92. Theforward movement of the arm 92 is effected by means opframe member 94,as shown at 106, the pivotal connection between the lever 105 and therod 104 being effected by means of a collar 107, mounted on a pivot-pin108,extendinglongitudinally of the lever 105. Thus it willbe seen that auniversal-j oint connection between the lever105 and crank 101 isestablished and the parts are allowed free movement in any posi tionthey may assume. As shown in Fig. 4, the connecting-rod 10 1 is curveddownwardly under the end of the shaft 3 to permit the crank 101 to makea half-turn with the shaft 3. The other end of the lever 105 is providedwith a latch or dog 109, which is secured to the lever 105 by pivot 110,so as to be capable of vertical deflection, and this dog 109 engageswith a pin or lug 111, projecting from the upper side of the arm 92, therear side of the dog being beveled, as shown in Fig. 1, so

as to enable it to slide over the pin 111 when i the lever makes itsreturn or rearward movement. By this means it will be seen that,assuming the parts to be in the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1and 3, a halfturn, approximately speaking, of the shaft3 will cause thesheet-carrier, with the sucker 10 and sheet adhering thereto, to risefrom the pile of paperand descend upon the platen, while the lever 105will force the carriage 83 downwardly along the guide-rods 78 andproject the sucker 79 over the sheet 18 as itrests upon the platen inreadiness to pick up the sheet and convey it to the rear, as shown indotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3 and in full lines in Fig. 4:. After thesucker 79 has gained possession of the sheet on the platen the dog 109is tripped by the further downward movement of the sheet-carrier, whichis conveying a new sheet to the platen. This may be accomplished bymeansof a trip-pin 112, secured to the hub of the arm 7 in such aposition as to engage with a tailpiece 113, projecting from the dog 109,as better shown in Fig.- 5, thus lifting the dog out of engagement withthe lug 111 and permitting the arm 92 to be quickly withdrawn by thespring 99, thereby forcing the sheet-delivery back into the positionshown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. rear end of its movement, it iscompelled to release the sheet adhering to the sucker 79 and to drop thesame upon any suitable piling-table (not shown) arranged under the frame6 and which maybe the ordinaryfeedboard of the press by automatic meansfor admitting air to the sucker 79 and destroying the partial vacuum orsuction created therein. This may be accomplished by providing the underside of the tube 82 with an air-ad- When the deliver r arrives at themission port 114, which is normally closed by valve 115, pivoted at 116to the rear end of the tube 82 and having a lever 117, which is adaptedto come against an abutment 118, composed of a screw adjustably securedin the bracket 80, so that when the carriage 83 arrives at the rear endof its movement the sheet will be automatically released from the sucker79.

In order that the sucker 79 may conform or adapt itself to the surfaceof the platen and rest gently upon the sheet thereon, the tube 82 onwhich it is formed is allowed to drop freely at its forward end when itreaches the extremity of its forward movement; The rear end of the tube82 being pivotally supported from the carriage 83, as before explained,I provide the upper side thereof with a rest or support upon the rod 78.This support consists of an ear 119, through which passes a pin 120,carrying antifriction-rollers 121, which run along the bars 78, and whenthey arrive at the forward ends of the bar 78 they drop into notches orinclines 78,

formed thereon, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,.

thus permitting the sucker 79 to drop freely and loosely upon the sheetas it rests on the platen. The extreme ends of' the bars 7 8 may beformed with stops 78 for guarding against the dislodgment of thesupportingrollers 121.

The parts are so proportioned and timed that the sheet-delivery movesforwardly or toward the platen in unison with the sheetcarrier forconveying a sheet to the platen and the sucker 79 of the sheet-deliverycomes into contact with the printed sheet on the platen just before thesheet carried by the sheet-carrier is deposited, and in order thatneither the sucker 10 of the sheet-carrier nor the stop-wheels 19thereof may bear upon the printed sheet I provide the transverse shaft 9with additional rubber-tired stop-wheels 122, arranged at a widedistance apart, so as to bear against the outer margins of the platen,and thus support the parts, as before described, without interferingwith the removal of the sheet by the sheet-delivery. When thesheet-carrier returns to its normal position over the feed-board 25, thelarger stops 122 are received in grooves 123, formed in the surface ofthe board, so as to permit the smaller stops 19 to descend into contactwith the surface of a pile of minimum height.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as newtherein, anddesire to secure by' Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a printing-press of an oscillating sheet-carrierprovided with a pneumatic sucker for picking up the sheet, and stopsadapted to rest against the sheet for holding the sucker alooftherefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a printing-press of an oscillating carrierprovided with a sucker for picking up the sheet and a stop having a Citbearing independently of or extraneously to the sheet on the platen forholding said sucker aloof from the sheet while on the platen,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a printing-press of an oscillating sheet-carrierprovided with a sucker for picking up the sheet, a stop for holding thesucker aloof from the sheet on the pile and a second stop for holdingsaid first stop and sucker aloof from the sheet on the platen,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a printing-press having a feed-board, of anoscillating sheetcarrier vibrating between the feed-board and place ofdelivery of the sheet to be fed, and an operative connection between thepress and the carrier having a spring through the medium of which itoscillates said carrier, whereby said connection may have a limitedmovement independently of the carrier, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a printing-press of an oscillating sheet-carriervibrating between the feed-board and platen, a shaft on which saidcarrier is loosely mounted and to which the carrier is attached throughan elastic medium, a pinion on said shaft and a rack connected with thepress and engaging said pinion for rocking said shaft, substantially asset forth.

6. The combination with a printing-press of an oscillating sheet-carriervibrating between the' board and platen, a shaft on which the carrier isloosely mounted and to which the carrier is attached through an elasticmedium,the pinion on the shaft, a rack connected with the press andengaging said pinion, alug having a fixed relation to said pinion andmoving therewith, and a pin projecting from the carrier into the path ofsaid lug, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with a printing-press of an oscillating carrierhaving a rotary shaft, a sucker mounted on said shaft, a crank on saidshaft, a rod having one end attached to said crank and its other endfixed at a point eccentric to the center of oscillation of said carrier,and means for retarding the oscillation of said rod, substantially asset forth.

8. The combination with a printing-press and a feed-board of asheet-carrier having a pivoted sucker for picking up the sheet,adjustable in an are around its pivot, and in a plane parallel with theface of the feed-board, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination witha printing-press of a sheet-carrier having stopsadapted to rest upon the pile of paper and a sucker for picking up thesheet arranged at a point between the edge of the sheet and said stopswhereby the edge of the sheet will be free to rise, substantially as setforth.

10. The combination with a printing-press of a sheet-carrier having arotary shaft, circular stops mounted on said shaft and adapted to restupon the-pile of paper and a sucker located between and held aloof bysaid stops for picking up the sheet, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination with a printing-press of a hollow shaft 3, armsloosely mounted upon said shaft and one of which is hollow, a hollowcross-shaft 9 mounted in said arms, a sucker carried by said cross-shaft and communicating therewith, a connection between saidcross-shaft and hollow arm and between said hollow arm and shaft 3, asuction-tube connected with said hollow shaft 3, a valve for admittingair to said shaft 3, a trip for automatically opening said valve, ayielding connection between shaft 3 and said arms and means for rockingsaid shaft 3, substantially as set forth.

12. In a feeder for printing-presses the combination of a carrier forconveying the sheet to the platen and a feed-board adjustableindependently transversely and vertically and being rotatable on alongitudinal axis whereby its inclination may be varied, substantiallyas set forth.

13. In a feeder for printingpresses the combination of a carrier forconveying the sheet to the platen, a feed-board, a threaded shaft, nutson said shaft and to which nuts said board is pivotally connected, asecond set of nuts connected with said first nuts respectively, threadedrods passing through said second nuts and upon which said board issupported, said rods and shaft being arranged transversely,substantially as set forth.

14. In a feeder for printing-presses the combination of a carrier forconveying the sheet to the platen, a feed-board pivoted on alongitudinal axis, means for shifting said board longitudinally andtransversely and a vertically-movable support upon which the rear orupper edge of said board rests, substantially as set forth.

15. In a feeder for printing-presses the combination of a carrier forconveying the sheet to the platen, a feed-board pivoted on alongitudinal axis, a standard, a lever pivoted in said standard andsupporting the rear side of said board, a nut carried by said lever andan adjusting-screw passing through said standard and nut, for adjustingthe inclination of said board, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination with a printing-press having a platen and afeed-board, of a sheetfeeder extending back and forth alternately overthe feed-board and platen and a sheetdelivery moving in a plane belowsaid feeder and having a sucker for picking up the sheet on the platen,said feeder and delivery approaching the platen simultaneously,substantially as set forth.

17. The combination with a printing-press having a platen and afeed-board, of a sheetfeeder extending back and forth alternately overthe feed-board and platen and a sheetdelivery movable toward the platenin unison with the sheet-feeder and movable from the platenindependently of said feeder, substantially as set forth.

18. The combination with a printing-press having a platen, of asheet-feeder and sheetdelivery both approaching the platensimultaneously and the delivery in advance of the feeder and means forreturning the delivery before the feeder reaches the platen,substantially as set forth.-

19. The combination with a printing-press having a platen, of asheet-feeder oscillating to and from the platen in a vertical plane anda reciprocating sheet-delivery approaching the platen in unison with butin advance of the said feeder, substantially as set forth.

20. The combination with a printing-press having a platen and afeed-board, of a sheetearrier for conveying the sheet to the platen, asheet-delivery having means for picking the sheet from the platen,movable toward the platen in unison with the carrier, independent meansfor moving the delivery from the platen and a trip actuated by themovement of the carrier for releasing the delivery and permitting it toreturn with thesheet, substantially as set forth.

21. The combination with a printingpress having a platen of a way ortrack projecting toward the platen, a carriage mounted on said track, asucker carried by said carriage and adapted to be projected over theplaten for picking up the sheet thereon, a pivoted arm having operativeconnection with said carriage and means for oscillating saidarm,substantially as set forth.

22. The combination with a printing-press having a platen, of a track orway extending toward said platen, a sliding sheet-delivery mountedthereon and having a sucker adapted to pick up the sheet on the platen,a pivoted arm having operative connection with said sliding delivery, alever, a detachable connection between said arm and lever, for forcingsaid arm in one direction,independent means for pulling said arm in theother direction, means for oscillating said lever and a trip forreleasing said lever from its connection with said arm, substantially asset forth.

23. The combination with a printing-press having a platen of a wayextending toward said platen, a sliding sheet-delivery mounted on saidway and having a sucker for picking up the sheet, a pivoted armconnected to said sliding sheet-delivery, a rock-shaft 3, a crank onsaid shaft, a pivoted lever having detachable connection with said armat one end and a universal-joint connection with said crank at the otherend, and an operative connection between said rock-shaft and theprinting-press, substantially as set forth.

24:. The combination with a printing-press having a platen, ofguide-bars constituting a way extending toward said platen and havingtheir forward ends downwardly inclined, a carriage mounted on said guidebars, a

sucker-tube pivoted at one end to said carnected to the printingpressand engaging 1o riage, a support for said sucker-tube resting saidpinion, the idler 49 supporting said rack upon said guide-bars, meansfor connecting bar and a spring or cushion supporting said said tubewith an exhausting device and idler, substantially as set forth. meansfor reciprocating said carriage, sub- T stantially as set forth. JOHNBULLUOK' 25. The combination with a printing-press, WVitnesses: of asheet-feeder, a pinion by means of which PETER BERING NELSON, saidsheet-feeder is operated, a rack-barcon- LARA DAVIES.

